The Most Loved Sunflower

Two sunflower seeds were planted on opposite sides of a fence.

One grew in a carefully tended garden. The gardener adored sunflowers and checked on them several times a day.

The other grew in a corner yard tended by a busy gardener. An irrigation system watered the garden each morning, but beyond that, the sunflowers were mostly left to themselves.

By midsummer, the difference was easy to see.

The sunflower in the first garden stood in rich soil covered with fresh mulch. Whenever the weather became hot, the gardener appeared with extra water. If an insect nibbled a leaf, something was quickly sprayed. If a weed appeared nearby, it vanished before sunset.

Across the fence, the second sunflower's life was less comfortable. A few leaves bore holes from hungry insects. Heavy rain had washed away some soil near her roots. During heat waves, she often wished for a little more water.

Whenever she mentioned these things, the first sunflower would shake her head sympathetically.

"What a difficult life you have," she said.

The second sunflower said nothing.

The first sunflower felt fortunate that her own life was so comfortable.

As summer passed, both sunflowers grew tall and strong. Their bright yellow petals attracted bees from morning until evening.

The first sunflower, however, seemed to bloom endlessly. Whenever one flower faded, another appeared. Visitors often stopped to admire the display, and the gardener beamed with pride. The sunflower was proud as well.

On the other side of the fence, the garden looked a little rougher. Leaves had holes. Some flower heads leaned at odd angles after windy days. The sunflower thrived, but she would never have won a gardening prize.

Then autumn arrived. The flowers began to fade in both gardens.

A few days later, the gardener stepped outside carrying a pair of pruning shears. The first sunflower watched as several old flower heads were carefully removed from neighboring plants.

"How tidy everything looks," said the gardener happily.

A few days later, the gardener returned. Another flower head disappeared. Then another. Whenever a bloom faded, it was clipped away.

The sunflower did not think much about it at first. After all, the garden remained beautiful.

Across the fence, however, things were becoming rather messy. The second sunflower's flower heads darkened and drooped. Petals fell away. Seeds developed in the centers.

She looked far less elegant than before. The first sunflower felt a little embarrassed for her.

Then the birds arrived.

At first there were only a few. More joined.

The second sunflower hardly had a quiet moment. Goldfinches balanced on her stalk and pecked at the seeds. Squirrels searched beneath her leaves.

The first sunflower watched from across the fence. Her garden was still neat and beautiful.

Yet it was strangely empty.

One afternoon she noticed a goldfinch perched on the fence between the two yards. The bird glanced toward her side, then flew back to the other garden.

She felt a small pang of disappointment.

As autumn deepened, more seeds disappeared from the second sunflower. Some were carried away by birds. Others fell to the ground. A few vanished beneath leaves and mulch.

"What do you suppose will happen to them?" asked the first sunflower.

The second sunflower looked toward the field beyond the gardens.

"I don't know," she said. "Maybe they will find somewhere to grow."

The first sunflower was silent for a while.

Wind rustled through the dry leaves. A flock of chickadees settled among the seed heads, filling the afternoon with cheerful chatter.

For the first time, she noticed that her neighbor no longer looked untidy.

She looked busy. Very busy.
And somehow, very alive.